In the Spotlight | Drasko Bogdanovic

This week we return to our In the Spotlight series with a look at the work of Canadian photographer Drasko Bogdanovic.  Pulling from artistic influences of the 70’s, he captures the beauty of the male body in hopes that it will free his audience to better appreciate male beauty in its raw, unfettered form. (remainder of post NSFW).

Hi Drasko, thanks for sharing your work with us today.  You’re the second Canadian that we’ve featured on the site.  What’s the art scene like in Toronto?

Toronto is a very vibrant city and the mix of different cultures inspires people. There are so many galleries and centers that cultivate great talent. In regards to photography, Toronto has lots going on, Contact – world largest photography festival is every May and there are other annual events that promote both local and international talent. You can’t escape art in this city.

How did you get into photography?

Photography was always part of my life. I used to take pictures of landscapes so I could paint them later on canvas, but then I began to like them as photographs. I like the speed and immediacy of photography, possibilities of digital.

Your online portfolio consists predominantly of male nudes, but you also do nice landscapes and cityscapes.  Do you find yourself gravitating more towards portraits these days?

Male nudes are my passion, but I can’t just limit myself to only one genre. This May I will show  photographs that are completely inspired by abstract paintings. I like changing things, experimenting with different styles, creating something new. It is so much fun to go from one genre to another, blend it with different techniques and mediums as well.  With portraits everybody tries to put on a different or better version of themselves in front of the camera. I try to take the honest image, impression I get, but sometimes I like what people present as well.

Has the fact that you were born in and lived in Bosnia had an impact on the art that you make?

Not necessarily – nudes are inspired my men that surround me, regular guys that I see down the street, fantasies I may have, but landscapes show some serenity and peace that I wanted to have there. I’m proud of my background and happy to be a homo from Sarajevo.

Who are your artistic inspirations?

I always come back to photography of the early 20th century. It was a different aesthetic at that time. Also 70’s gay culture, Peter Berlin, Wakefield Poole or photographs of Joe D’Allesandro all had that raw energy and sexuality that appeals to me.

What message are you hoping to convey with your photography?

I found male nudity to be one of the last taboos of our society. Men just don’t get a chance to show their beauty and be appreciated for it the same way women do. It is uncomfortable for us to fit masculinity and beauty together. With a more natural relationship to nudity, we might also be freed up to find each other a lot more fascinating. You are hotter than your favourite porn star!

Thanks and best of luck Drasko!

For previous features with other promising young photographers, search for In the Spotlight in the sidebar.

 Related posts:

1. In the Spotlight | Ryan Pfluger One of the reasons I love photography is that it allows me to see an isolated moment in time through another person’s eyes… a...
2. (NSFW) In the Spotlight | Mikel Marton Mikel Marton’s photography first caught my eye over a year ago on the ever-expanding social networking site DList. Perhaps it had something to do...
3. In the Spotlight | Kevin Amato This week In the Spotlight catches up with local Bronx boy, Kevin Amato, for a lesson on keeping it real on the streets of NYC....
4. In the Spotlight | Sylvain Norget This week for our In the Spotlight series we catch up with French photographer Sylvain Norget who, in addition to his beautiful portraiture, has a...
5. In the Spotlight | Yves de Brabander It’s time to revisit our In the Spotlight feature, this time around for a chat with photographer Yves de Brabander about travel, photography and...